


In the cold

by macosa



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Huddling For Warmth, Hurt/Comfort, Not beta'd we die like men, this is rated Teens and up only because Oscar has a bit of a potty mouth nothing else
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24078178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macosa/pseuds/macosa
Summary: Oscar seeks shelter after his fall from Atlas, and he and Ozpin try to patch things up.
Relationships: Ozpin & Oscar Pine
Comments: 10
Kudos: 93





	In the cold

**Author's Note:**

> This is unbeta'd and written after a mentally and emotionally exhausting day and posted in a spur.
> 
> So I apologize in advance for any mistakes.
> 
> Anyway, initially this was supposed to be longer but I realized my idea for it worked better as... two separate pieces. So expect a sort of continuation if/when I get to write it.

" **A** ll I want to know is how we save Atlas next".

That was what Oscar Pine had said and he admittedly had felt quite proud and cool in that moment; not so much now that every new step to the abandoned houses right in the slums under Atlas trembled with the unbearable cold of the weather.

He had no aura, after all. Ozpin has suggested to find shelter and recuperate ASAP unsless Oscar wished to turn his bravery into stupidity and kill them both of hypothermia.

Not that he wanted to, but it was just so hard to keep going.

"I can take control, if you wish to rest", said Ozpin. Oscar didn't want to admit that he had missed that nagging presence in his head.

"Not a chance", said he in return. He was still a bit uncomfortable with the idea of giving control of his body to the wizard for a prolonged period of time.

It was so weird, to have him back. But he would dwell on these feelings later, after he had found shelter.

He gritted his teeth and continued his march.

He eventually managed to reach the closest barrack. Politely, he knocked on the door.

"I don't think anybody is inside, my boy", said Ozpin, a faint amusement in his tone.

"You never know", was Oscar's reply. Then, he knocked again and shouted at the door.

"Hello? Anybody home? I need help!"

No answer.

Welp.

He took his cane off his back and prepared himself, body all trembling, to break down the door, but after inadvertently touching it again with one hand while going through the motion, the thing opened on its own.

Oscar took a peek: predictably, nobody was inside.

He quickly went inside and shut the door. The air was barely warmer than it was outside, but still a significant difference for him.

He looked around, eyes rapidly adjusting to the darkness. He found some pieces furniture carrying no supplies. But a pair of covers was on the bed, so he placed a chair against the door, took them off and enveloped himself in them.

"I'm now an Oscar burrito".

Ozpin chuckled.

With a sigh of relief and not caring much to check if those covers were clean or not, Oscar fell against the wall, near the bed.

Now, he felt warmer.

"Your aura will take time to recover, after all that", said Ozpin.

"Right", replied Oscar. He tried to steady his breath and relax in order to expedite the process but he wasn't really in the mood to meditate.

His body was cold and hurt and he had a terrible feeling.

"Salem has to be at Atla's doors".

"Maybe", Ozpin's words conveyed uncertainity, but he couldnt' quite hide the foreboding feelings he himself was prey of.

And with Ironwood completely off the rails, team RWBY and JNPR on the run, Qrow gods know where...

"Thinking of all that now won't help us".

No, shit!

"Ozpin, I need to recover fast and go search for them! We need to make a plan, we need to...!"

Ozpin, kindly but sternly, shushed him.

"Yes, I know. But you cannot do all that if you don't regain your strenght first. So, try to relax and rest".

Easier said than done. Oscar was definitely starting to feel better, but was still shivering and his thoughts kept going at the task that awaited him.

"Let's see if I can help", said Ozpin.

And after that, the world around Oscar... disappeared?

But it didn't, he could still see the room around him, but hazy, like in a fog. And he was definitely still leaning against a wall, but if he turned his head, he saw nothing behind his back.

Then, a man appeared and sat down, beside him.

Greeb clothes, silver hair, stupid glasses. It was Ozpin.

Before Oscar could wonder what the hell was happening, Ozpin put an arm around him and made him lean against his shoulder.

Mh, it felt... warm.

"Oh, so that's what you meant to do".

Ozpin smiled at him.

"It's not quite like real physical contact, but it should at least give some comfort".

Yeah, it wasn't like huddling against someone for real, but somehow Oscar's very soul felt warmer and more relaxed by the minute.

"I think it's quite alright", he said.

After a while where none of them talked, Ozpin spoke up again.

"Oscar".

But his voice faltered immediately.

Oscar turned to him and saw that his... mental reflection of whatever that was had his head hanging low.

Ozpin made a face for a split second and then spoke again.

"I know you don't want me to apologize, but".

Oscar rolled his eyes despite himself, and leaned forcefully on him, all annoyed.

"I wasn't there for you while you needed me the most. None of this would have happened if I hadn't run away".

Oscar closed his eyes shut. He wanted none of the wizard pity party that was going on at the moment.

"You don't know that! Ironwood could have shot you as well as he shot me, for all we know".

Ozpin paused.

"Maybe you are right. It is pointless, to wonder about such things. But still".

Oscar felt Ozpin getting him closer and placing his other arm around him.

"I know", and his voice sounded so heartbreakingly sad while he was saying those words. "You may not find it very reassuring. Or the last thing you want in your life. But for my part, I will never, ever abandon you like that again. I promise".

Oscar opened his eyes again.

"And I know you may not find me to be trustworthy after I hid things from you, but..."

"Shut up".

Ozpin looked at him, confused. Oscar stared back.

"I told you you don't need to apologize".

"But you deserve an apology".

"Yes", Oscar could defintely agree on that. "But now that you have apologized, no more 'I know's and 'but's".

Ozpin was taken aback by that.

"What", he almost stuttered. "Would you want me to say, then?".

"Nothing", Oscar replied.

He took out a hand from the covers that enveloped him and placed it on Ozpin's arm.

"The fact that you are here now is enought, I think".

And after he had said that, he leaned more on his chest and his hand slid from his arm to go and grip at the collar of his jacket.

He still wasn't completely sure of how he felt about him.

But, he figured, he didn't feel negatively about him at all.

"I won't abandon you either, Oz", he said. He had meant it to sound more like a snarky gotcha, a 'you will have to deal with me for ever', but he was too tired of everything that had happened that day, and ended up sounding exactly as he really felt.

"You're not alone".

Ozpin took a breath like he was gonna reply, but he didn't

Instead, his grip around Oscar strengthened and he buried his face in his hair.

Oscar, in turn, put his arm more comfortably around Oz's neck and closed his eyes.

Normally, he thought, one should try to stay awake, in a cold like this, but something told him having an immortal watching over him meant he could sleep.

And so he did.


End file.
